'Crafty' Shai Makes Knicks 'Boo-Worthy'

Gilgeous-Alexander sparks Oklahoma City in rout in front of disgruntled New York fans

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Joe combined for 70 points, as the Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back to winning ways with a 126-101 drubbing of the Knicks in New York on Jan. 10.

Oklahoma City were left licking their wounds after their much-anticipated tussle against the top-ranked Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 8 ended in a chastening defeat.

But the Western Conference leaders showed no signs of a hangover with a blowout victory over the Knicks, in what had been billed as a potential National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals preview.

The Knicks were effectively forced into damage-limitation mode, after a blistering start from Oklahoma City saw the visitors surge into a 31-17 lead after the first quarter.

The Thunder kept their foot on the pedal in the second, pouring in 39 points to take a mammoth 70-43 half-time lead that the Knicks never looked like catching as boos echoed around Madison Square Garden.

Knicks guard Mikal Bridges was quoted by The New York Post as saying: "Defensively, a lot of miscues, lack of communication, which is very boo-worthy."